TAIPEI — Evaluating changes in Chinese strategic thinking in terms of threat perceptions, doctrine and concepts for employing military power was the theme of an academic conference held here Nov. 14-15.

The Chinese Council on Advanced Policy Studies (CAPS), US National Defense University (NDU), and Rand Corp. sponsored the International Conference on People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Affairs. …

During the conference, Andrew Erickson of the US Naval War College and Phillip Saunders of NDU provided a side lecture summarizing their findings on Chinese cruise missiles, which will appear in their forthcoming book, “A Low Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China’s Cruise Missile Ambitions,” in late December.

Erickson said China is now capable of deploying anti-ship cruise missiles from air, land and sea platforms. These will challenge US Navy ships, particularly in an effort to overwhelm the Aegis Combat System on US destroyers.

“China views large-scale saturation attacks as the best way to overwhelm missile defense systems, such as Aegis.”